New pastor at First Baptist

The Rev. David Hill has been named as interim pastor at First Baptist Church in Pratt. He began his ministry there on Sept. 1.

A committee has been formed to call a permanent pastor, but it may be several weeks before an active search begins to replace the Rev. Stan Hendershot.

An experience more than 50 years ago led Hill into full time ministry. In 1962, he was the associate pastor and teacher of a young boys' Sunday School class in a Southern Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. One of the boys was mad at the world and mad at his parents for divorcing. He spat in Hill's face, ran out and climbed a ladder to the roof of the church. Hill coaxed him down and was able to lead him to the Lord.

He is a graduate of Dallas Baptist with a Bachelor of Arts degree and earned a master's degree in theology from Slidell Baptist.

After serving several churches in Texas, he and wife Mary were led to American Baptist churches in southeast Kansas. After his retirement in 2000, he was encouraged to enter the region's interim ministry program. The church in Pratt was his first interim assignment. He most recently served two years in Great Bend.

Hill will be in Pratt for four Sundays and three weeks each month, then return home to Iola for a week. While in Pratt, he will be available during office hours at the church from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.